Pyracantha: species, care and more

Pyracantha fruits are red

Pyracantha is a genus of plants that normally grow as small shrubs. They have very beautiful green leaves, so much so that when they produce their fruits, which are red, they contrast wonderfully with them.

In addition, they are very resistant. You can prune them almost however you want, even work them as bonsai. By having a medium growth rate, that is, by growing about twenty centimeters each year, it’s easy to give them the look you want.

Origin and characteristics of Pyracantha

The Pyracantha genus is made up of seven species of evergreen shrubs native to Europe and Asia known by the common name of firethorn. They grow between 2 and 6 meters in height, have small, dark green leaves. They bloom in spring-summer, and they do so producing flowers that can be red, yellow, orange or white.

Towards the end of autumn, its fruits finish ripening, which are round, measure approximately one centimeter and are red. These contain five seeds, which can be sown that fall to germinate the following spring.

They are closely related to Cotoneaster, but unlike them, the leaves of the Pyracantha have a serrated margin and, in addition, the branches have thorns.

Types of Pyracantha

The most cultivated Pyracantha species are the following:

Pyracantha angustifolia

The Pyracantha is a shrub

Image – Wikimedia / Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz

It is a species native to China that reaches a height of 2-3 meters. It has white flowers and red fruits, which are not edible to humans as they are toxic. But yes, birds love it, so it may be a good idea to plant it in the garden. Supports up to -20ºC.

Pyracantha coccinea

Piracantas are ornamental plants

It is the kind of pyracantha best known in Europe, where it originates from (although it is also found in western Asia). Usually reaches a height of 1 to 2 metersbut it can reach 3 meters. Its flowers are white or light yellow in color, and it produces red fruits that ripen either in late summer or in autumn. These are astringent, but can be consumed after they have been cooked; in fact, jams and jellies are made with them. It can withstand frosts down to -20ºC.

Pyracantha crenulata

Pyracantha crenulata is an evergreen shrub

Image – Wikimedia / Krish Dulal

The Pyracantha crenulata is an evergreen shrub native to Asia, which reaches a height of 5 meters. Its flowers are white and sprout from a corymb-shaped inflorescence (similar to that of a candelabrum). The fruits are red and small. Resists up to -20ºC.

Pyracantha fortuneana

Pyracantha fortuneana is a small shrub

Image – Wikimedia / Doctoroftcm

It is a piracanta native to China that reaches a height of 3 meters. The flowers are white and are about one centimeter in diameter. The fruits, on the other hand, are red. Withstands cold and frosts down to -17ºC.

Pyracantha koidzumii

Pyracantha koidzumii is an evergreen plant

Image – Wikimedia / Forest and Kim Starr

This is a fire thorn that grows in Taiwan. Reaches a height of 2-3 metersand produces numerous flowers up to 3 centimeters in diameter in spring. Its flowers are orange-red in color. It resists frosts down to -17ºC.

Pyracantha rogersiana

Pyracantha is a genus of shrubs

Image – Flickr / John Tann

It is a piracantha native to western China, which reaches a height of 4 meters. It is a plant that has green leaves and produces white flowers in spring. Its fruits are round, orange in color, and measure about 8 millimeters in diameter. Supports up to -17ºC.

Firethorn care

Pyracantha are shrubs that or need especially delicate care. They grow very well in temperate regions, where the seasons are different. Likewise, you have to know that they can be planted both in a pot and in the garden, since by tolerating pruning well, it is possible to grow them wherever you want.

But so that there is no room for doubts, below we are going to explain how to take care of them:

Location

The Pyracantha They can be in areas where they get direct sun, or with partial shade. But what should not be done is to have them inside the house, since the conditions that exist inside the house (lack of light, drafts, temperatures that do not change much throughout the year) are not suitable for these plants have a chance of survival.

Earth

The fruits of the pyracantha are round

  • the garden: they can be in fertile soils, and well drained. Therefore, if they are planted in those that get puddled easily when it rains we will have to make a hole that, at least, doubles the dimensions of the pot, cover its sides (except the base) with shading mesh or hard plastic such as made of PVC, and fill it with universal growing substrate (for sale here!) mixed with 30% perlite (for sale here!). In this way, we will prevent the garden soil from mixing with the substrate that we put on it.
  • Flower pot: if it is going to be in a container, we will not have to complicate ourselves. We will put a universal substrate and that’s it. Of course, we have to plant our piracantha in a pot that has holes in its base.

Irrigation

It is necessary to water every 5 or 7 days during the cold months, and about twice a week during the warm ones. For this, the ideal will be to use rainwater, but if we do not have how to get it, one that has a pH between 4 and 7 will do; that is, whether it is acidic, neutral or not very alkaline.

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It is highly recommended to fertilize Pyracantha in spring and summer, which is when they flower and bear fruit. For it, We will use liquid fertilizers if we have them in pots, or powder or granulated if they are in the garden.. So that there are no problems, we will follow the instructions for use that we will find on the packaging.

As fertilizers we can use guano (for sale here!), mulch, herbivorous animal manure, compost or earthworm humus.

Pruning

The Pyracantha they are pruned in spring. This must be done using suitable tools, such as anvil scissors (for sale here!) for branches between 0,5 and 1 centimeter, or the hand saw to cut thicker branches. Likewise, they must be washed with soap and water, before and after use, to prevent infections.

Once we have them ready, we have to remove dry, broken branches and those that are diseased. Then, we are going to cut out those that are growing more than we want to give the plant the shape we want. If necessary, we will also prune those that, even though they are healthy, give them a tangled appearance.

Multiplication

You can get new copies sowing the seeds in autumn so that they germinate about three months later, and also by cuttings in spring.

Plagues and diseases

These shrubs can have mites such as spider mites, aphids, mealybugs and caterpillars. But they can be treated with ecological insecticides such as potassium soap or diatomaceous earth (for sale here!), which we are talking about in this video:

As for diseases, it can basically be affected by rust, powdery mildew, fungi that will cause leaf spots to appear (such as Cercospora or Gloeosporium), and for the bacteria Erwinia amylovorawhich will make the leaves look like they are burned.

All of them, except bacteria, are treated with systemic fungicides (for sale here!). If Pyracantha has a bacterial infection, remove the affected parts and, as far as possible, keep the plant separate from the others.

Rusticity

The piracanta withstands frost

In general, they are plants that resist frosts down to -18ºC very well. But for more information we recommend seeing the section Pyracantha species of this same article.

Uses of Pyracantha

Thorns of fire are used as ornamental plantseither in gardens, pots and as bonsai. They produce many flowers of good size, and red fruits that attract a lot of attention. In addition, by having thorns they serve as protection hedges.

Another very important use is that of take care of the wildlife

. The flowers feed with their pollen to many insects, like the bees; the fruits serve as food for the birds, and their dense and thorny crowns are a refuge for some animals.

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Pyracantha: species, care and more

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